


no butterfly could keep us apart

by tiabi



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/F, Gen, Lena Luthor-centric
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-05-15
Updated: 2017-05-22
Packaged: 2018-11-01 00:09:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,764
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10910277
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tiabi/pseuds/tiabi
Summary: An examination of Lena Luthor's life if she was never adopted, had a wonderful mother and childhood, and her half-brother offers to give her the world. Then, she meets Supergirl.Or, how there is no butterfly effect that could separate Lena Luthor from Kara Danvers.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> A story where Lena gets all of the hugs and motherly love she deserves.

There are books. So many books - thin, thick, big, and small - scattered in every nook of the tiny cottage. When Maeve McGrath greets her visitors, she hands them the stack of books she’s had to move in order to pry the door open.

There are few toys at this point, but strewn about stuffed animals have always been the least of her worries. Now, in the living room, she finds resistors and wires and induction coils. She’s thankful that woodwork has yet to make its way into the home.

However, there is one game that remains perched safely away from the chaos. The paint has been chipped away from use while at least three pawns have been replaced with M13 bolts. Chess has always been a past time at the McGrath home.

But the chaos seems to have settled, she notices. Her little engineer has hauled off her toolkit to other pastures. The lack of soldering and welding makes the home too quiet at this point, and Maeve begins to sing.

\--

“Thank you as always for the help, chicken.”

Lena turns back to the couch where Mrs. O’Keefe peers over. She grins. “It’s my pleasure, Mrs. O’Keefe. You know, it’s always quite a bit of fun for me to work with all of these things.”

Putting the finishing touches on the TV, Lena looks down, pleased at her work. “I think you’re all set now!”

Mrs. O’Keefe smiles wide as the TV comes to life, bright colors and sharp resolution. “This is lovely! Riley, come have a look!” she shouts to the outside.

“I’ll be there in a minute, Nancy!” her husband calls back, tossing an apologetic smile at the customer in front of him.

HIs customer shakes his head understandingly. “Your daughter?”

The baker laughs heartily. “No, not mine An adopted granddaughter, maybe. She’s a neighbor’s. Bright lass that’s been helping us with our TV.”

Riley hands over the man’s change, but again the man shakes his head. “Keep the change, sir. I appreciate the tip.” he says, turning with his pastry and walking out the door.

“Strange one, he is.” Riley mumbles to himself, putting the extra ten Euros away in the register. However, the feeling is fleeting as he spots the knobbly-kneed McGrath watching around the corner.

The girl is a paradox - confident in her work but terribly timid around strangers, outspoken when faced with injustice and quiet during peace. However, as he peers over his spectacles and meets her eyes, he sees them flickering around, collecting details.

“He was wearing the nicest suit in town,” Lena comments quietly.

He hums in agreement. “That’ll be the one, chicken.”

She continues staring out the door and Riley can feel the dull ache in his heart as he watches her. Maeve never told anyone much about Lena’s father, but he’d seen the man enough to know he was well-to-do.

The man stopped by the bakery enough with the McGrath’s order that he put two and two together swiftly enough. Eventually, when the town knew, he’d take his strolls with small Lena, walking unsteady on the cobblestone streets.

The visits were relatively frequent for a week at a time, Maeve murmuring the poor excuse that Lena’s father was away on business more often that he wasn’t. For Lena’s sake, mum was the word when the visits stopped all together.

Fancy suits, especially during Lena’s earlier years, that slowly transitioned to jeans and soft worn shirts. The last time Riley had seen the man was years ago, driving away in a Bentley, dressed in the nicest suit he’d seen bar today.

Shaking his head swiftly out of its stupor, he crouches down and pulls out two muffins from the case. “Now let’s get you fed, dear,” he says softly, “Can’t show me no good work on an empty stomach.”

When he steps into the living room, little Lena leading the way, he can’t help but marvel at the work she’s done that he nearly drops his muffin.

Lena turns sharply to look at him, eyes wide with concern unbefitting of a twelve year old. “Is it bad?” Yes, the girl works with confidence but shies away at review.

Riley kneels down with kind eyes, his wife watching from another corner of the room. “You, chicken, are a wonder.”

\--

It’s her dad that teaches her how to construct circuit boards, take apart microwaves and toasters without fear or hesitation.

“Lena, darling, I am so excited for your future.” he would often tell her whenever she exceeded his expectations, which occurred more often than not.

Whenever she was younger, four or five, and the concept of jobs was more solid, Lena would always probe her father about what he did.

“Are you an… en-engine--engineer?” 

Her father would laugh, nervously rub the back of his bald head, and say, “I used to be. I like to tinker.”

Her first years are spent reading on her father’s lap and playing chess in the afternoons, grimacing whenever he allowed her a sip of his tea. Her mother would take her on long walks by the beach, her father joining when he had the chance.

If she was lucky and the weather on the beach wasn’t so bleak, she’d get the best of both worlds and they would all play chess on the beach.

It had taken twelve games, but she placed her bishop down and declared checkmate. Her mother laughed as her father whirled her on the sand, nearly knocking over the board and all of its pieces.

Instead, they had only lost two pawns that had been set aside into the sand.

After chess, they began to tinker.

And then, her father stopped visiting.

She had been eight, and he was there for her birthday and the two days after. But secretly, she always found it a little strange. Her father, normally dressed in a t-shirt and denims, was dressed to the nines those final days.

When he had stepped into a _Bentley_ (and she’d learned about Bentleys), he had knelt down and kissed her on the forehead as per his usual goodbyes. And said what he always told her, “I am so excited for your future.”

It’d been a blur after that. There had been a factory fire where her mother worked, but on that day Lena had been sick and heartbroken over her father not answering her calls that Lena’s mother stayed home.

Ever since, it has been just the two of them.

\--

She’s in the middle of wrangling all of Lena’s scattered screwdrivers when she hears a sharp knock on the door. Not too aggressive, but definitely loud enough to be heard, and Maeve has a wave of nostalgia thinking of the man who’d gone out of his way to perfect such a knock.

But it can’t be him. She knows it’s no longer possible. However, the man behind the door is almost like a shadow of Lionel with his strong jawline and bright eyes she sees mirrored at her every day. The young man can’t be older than 25, dressed in an immaculate suit, his auburn hair combed back, an easy smile on his face.

“Hello, Ms. McGrath. My name is Lex, I’m Lionel Luthor’s son.”

Maeve can’t help her grimace. “I half-expected you to come here. Although, I had hope that being CEO of a major corporation would keep you busy.”

Despite the bite in her tone, Lex merely laughs. “Not wrong, but this is really important to me. May I come in?”

“If you must.” She steps aside, a part of her relieved that Lena is away and she had time to clean. “Would you like a cup of tea?”

Lex nods. “Yes, please.” He glances around the living room as he steps in, his eyes narrowing in certain places, such as the chessboard or the bookshelf.

“I’m a little surprised you didn’t outright say no.” he comments, following her into the kitchen and taking a seat at the table.

As she pulls two mugs from the cupboard, Maeve rolls her eyes. “I don’t know about you, Mr. Luthor, but we have manners in this house. And like I said, I had an inkling you would come around.”

“Then I’m sure you have an idea of what this is about.”

Lex’s smile turns sad, his eyes lowered as he pulls out a folded piece of paper from his coat pocket. “I’m just here to help execute my father’s will.”

“Well, let’s wait for the tea to brew first, Mr. Luthor. I think I’ll need it.”

\--

When Lena returns home from the O’Keefes, she’s startled to see the same customer from the bakery sitting at their kitchen table across from her mother.

“Mum?” Her little Lena has her head tilted in that adorably curious way she started to possess when she was five.

Glancing at her guest, Maeve stands up, her headache growing. “Lena, would you mind heading to your room for a bit, love? We’ll talk soon.”

Nodding slowly, knowing better than to argue with her mother, Lena retreats to her bedroom, leaving Maeve relieved. She turns back to Lex, noticing his eyes trailing after his half-sibling.

“She’s meant for more than this, you know. Dad always knew.” he murmurs. His eyes are still fixed at Lena’s trail.

Maeve raises an eyebrow, surprised. “I wasn’t aware you knew about her, Mr. Luthor.” Lex shakes his head.

“I didn’t. But I know that he’s wanted more for her future - he’s set up boarding school options, scholarships, spoke with universities! This will hasn’t been updated for four years, but that shows that my father already planned for this.”

Yes, of course Maeve was aware of this. In another life, perhaps Lionel would have left Lillian and all of that could have been Lena’s. During her pillow talks with Lionel, Lena would often come up, his pride seeping in every word as he imagined the future Lena would lead.

Maeve stands from her chair, to shake off those dusty memories and to put a stop to this. “I think you’ve now overstayed your welcome, Mr. Luthor. I'd appreciate it if you would leave.”

He stares back beseechingly and Maeve is almost transported to the day that Lionel left. “She’s meant for more.”

“She’s my daughter.”

When hearing that, Lex bows his head in retreat, before taking his jacket and quietly thanking her for the tea. He pauses at the door, looking back.

“I'm staying at the inn until Saturday.” So, two days. “If you reconsider, or at least if I could speak with Lena…” he trails off. “She's my sister.”

Maeve’s throat closes slightly as she sees the lost look on the young man’s face. Even though Lionel was lovely with Lena, Maeve was never so disillusioned to think that Lionel was a great father. A man who was in between families was not a father any child deserved.

Nights spent tracing Lionel’s back in bed, he would murmur the difficulties of being married to Lillian. How much he enjoyed being with them in their seaside town, the haze the town would draw over his eyes.

Through it all, she knows Lex was alone. Or with Lillian, god forbid.

“Wait, Lex,” she slips, a slight tone of affection for the lad. “Tomorrow afternoon, at 2. I’ll bring Lena by the inn.”

Lex immediately brightens and the ends of his lips quirk up. “Thank you, Ms. McGrath.”

He shuts the door behind him quietly and Maeve returns to slump in her chair. She knew she was denying Lena something she knew to be true. Lena was a Luthor.

\--

As per her agreement, Maeve brings Lena into town the next day, walking them towards the inn. Her daughter walks in a measured pace, but she can tell that Lena is excited. Something she has always adored in Lena - the open mindedness, optimism, her desire to do good.

When Maeve had explained to Lena that she had an older half-brother, she wasn’t completely taken aback nor shocked like Maeve expected. Instead she had simply said, “Lex?”

Maeve had nodded slowly. “Yes, Lex is your half-brother, Lena.”

Lena scrunched up her face in concentration as she took the nearest gadget at the coffee table and began to fiddle with it. It was a nervous habit, Maeve supposed. She would often find Lena working on something the night before school started, a bundle of nerves.

“Dad told me about him. Showed me a picture once, when he was my age. I guess I didn’t recognize him.”

Now her eyebrows were shooting up. “Your father told you about Lex?”

Lena bounced her head once. “He told me it’d be nice if we could meet. He said I’d like him.”

And perhaps that was where Lena’s excitement stemmed from, while Maeve feared that Lex would whisk Lena away. Away from her Irish roots, away from her home, away from her mother.

When they came into view of the inn, Lex was already standing outside, dressed much more casual in rolled up jeans and a t-shirt, red hair covered by a baseball cap. Lena stopped abruptly next to her, tightening her grip on their clasped hands.

“I’m a little nervous, Mum. I want him to like me.” Lena says, voice a little shaky. Her green eyes are wide with nervous panic.

Her darling girl. Maeve kneels down so she’s eye level to her daughter and embraces her tightly. “Darling, he will adore you. Just like your father. And, I want you to look over there.”

She lets go of Lena and slightly turns her so that Lex is in view, leaning against a post, eyes on his phone. Every few seconds, he glances up, his eyes searching, but Maeve has placed them just out of view.

“He’s nervous just like you, love. That means he really wants you to like him too.”

Lena finally breaks out into a small smile and nods at her mother. Maeve rises and with much more confidence, Lena walks over to Lex, who finally spots them.

The grin that appears on Lex’s face makes him look so much younger than the somber young man that sat at her breakfast nook. “Ms. McGrath, thank you for agreeing to meet with me. And Lena, thank you for coming.”

Lex bends down slightly, extending his hand to Lena. “My name is Lex. It’s a pleasure to finally meet you, Lena.”

Like her father taught her, Lena grasps Lex’s hand and gives it a firm shake. A look of pleasant surprise washes over Lex’s face. “It’s nice to meet you too, Lex.”

Seeing the anxious energy slowly seep out of her daughter, Maeve takes this is her cue to leave. “Lex, if you could bring Lena by the house whenever you’re done. Preferably by dinner. The O’Keefes are having the neighborhood out for dinner to watch Father Ted on the TV Lena fixed.”

“You were the one that fixed the baker’s TV?” Lex asked, surprised.

Lena nods shyly, turning in a little to her mother, but Maeve places a comforting hand on her head, starting to turn away.

“My little wonder, please have fun with your brother. I’ll see you at dinner, love.”

Maeve places a soft kiss on the crown of her daughter’s head. Nodding towards Lex and seeing his grateful look, she waves them off and heads back home.

\--

At 5:30 PM, Lex brings Lena around the house, carrying the petite girl on his back. Maeve chuckles to herself when she spots them from her window, Lena’s smile so bright, a look she hadn’t seen since her father left.

“Mum!” Lena shouts, waving, when Maeve steps out on the porch to greet them.

Maeve grins. “Hello, love. Did you have a good time?” she asks, when Lex sets her down and Lena rushes into her arms.

“Yes! I beat Lex at chess!” she says proudly. Behind her, Lex smiles, admiration on his face as he stares down at his younger sister. “Can Lex join us for dinner?”

Maeve sees Lex’s face fall slightly, his lips thinning as he braces himself for rejection. “Yes, that’s absolutely fine. The O’Keefes have always been a fan of the more the merrier.”

When they arrive at the O’Keefes’ bakery, the dinner has already been set out, the room smelling heavenly. “Well, if it isn’t the fancy dressed visitor!” Riley O’Keefe greets, shaking Lex’s hand. “Glad to see you decided to stay a few days!”

“It’s been wonderful. The town is lovely.” Lex says with a charming smile, as he accepts a hug from Nancy O’Keefe.

Maeve nods. “Lex has been visiting. He’s a family friend.” she explains once they’re all seated at the table. Lena is sitting across from her, in between Lex and her friend, Angel.

“Well, it’s always brilliant to have visitors. Makes things interesting!” Mr. Coulby adds, raising his glass.

Everyone joins in several cheers, one dedicated to Lena for fixing the O’Keefe’s TV, to which her daughter blushes prettily and hides away in her friend’s shirt. The table laughs merrily until Lena forgets to hide.

As everyone relocates to the living room to watch Father Ted, she sees Lex break away with a polite excuse and head outside.

Following him outside to the backyard porch, Lex lights a cigarette and takes a long draw. “Well, Mr. Luthor, I’d never have taken you for a smoker.” Maeve says, putting on her most disappointed motherly voice.

Lex smiles sheepishly at her, looking so boyish in all his years, snubbing the cigarette on the bottom of his shoe. He places it back in the box, placing it in Maeve’s extended hand.

“Rarely,” he justifies.

Lionel used to smoke too, Maeve almost says, when he was nervous. “Well then,” she begins when Lex says nothing after. “Are you going to tell me what your plans are for my daughter?”

“I asked her if she would come to Metropolis with me. For school. And she could always come back for summers to Ireland and I’d be happy to pay for any visits with you coming to her or flying her out to you.”

“That’s mighty generous of you, Lex.”

Lex clears his throat, his hands flexing. Maeve can tell he’s itching for that cigarette now. “Someone should have a mother around.”

Maeve sighs deeply. “Lionel wasn’t the best example of a great father." she starts. "He was… always torn. And I don’t know how Lillian is, aside from what little Lionel would tell me, but…”

“I appreciate what you’re trying to do.” Maeve finishes.

“My mother is a complicated woman. I’m sure you can understand what it would feel like to never have all of the attention of her partner. But, my father was also supposed to be her husband.”

There’s bitterness in his tone that Maeve is sure runs deeper than what’s shown. Lex was a teenager when Lena was born, her father’s affair beginning years before that. She knows she was the “other woman.”

But here was Lex, wounded and holding himself together. It was a contrast, much like her own daughter, to see him so vulnerable when the interviews she had watched on TV showing him so impervious to critics and his genius always shining through. The dichotomy mimicked itself father to son, father to daughter.

Maeve takes a deep breath. She breathes out. “Lex Luthor, consider yourself a part of the McGrath family. If Lena so chooses, you have my blessing to take her to Metropolis. Just please look after each other.”

Lex nods solemnly, his eyes adopting a slight sheen that Maeve is sure are tears.

“Of course.”


	2. Chapter 2

While everyone scrambles to find a seat in front of the TV, Lena is more focused on her brother and mother walking outside. It worries her; she knows her mother wasn't entirely sold on Lex, but he is her brother and that made him family. 

As Father Ted plays on the telly, Lena sees Angel wave her over from the doorway that leads to the bakery.

She gets up and navigates her way over half the neighborhood, finally reaching her friend, giggling. Angel’s wavy black hair spins around her as Angel grabs her hand, turning to lead them outside on the front steps.

They settle down, quiet laughter escaping them, as they sit down on the concrete steps that lead up to the bakery. 

Even as they are seated, their fingers remained loosely intertwined, Lena using her free hand to fiddle with Angel’s. Now that it’s finally still, the boisterous laughter from the living room faraway, she can finally feel some calm after the day she’s had. 

Lex had offered her everything she could ever dream of, everything her father ever wanted for her. And despite her father leaving, she knows he loved her, and she knows she still loves him. 

“Are you okay there, Lee?” Angel asks, placing a hand over Lena’s fidgeting fingers. 

Lena meets Angel’s dark eyes, feeling torn. “What if I told you I had to leave for a little while? Would we still be friends?” 

She feels Angel’s hands hold on more tightly, a reassuring gesture that she knows means her friend is about to give an impassioned speech. 

“How could you ever think otherwise, Lee? We’ll always be friends. No matter how far apart or how long you’re away.” 

Her heart is beating rapidly against her chest as Angel brings herself closer and all Lena can see is her - dark skin glowing from the lamplight, fierce eyes, a serious look on her face. 

To break that apart, Lena chuckles nervously and quickly waves Angel’s hands away to set them at her side. “I know, Angel.” she says, hoping to hide her sweaty palms. “I just wanted to be sure.”

Angel huffs, turning away, and staring at the stars. “Well, you wouldn’t be asking if you weren’t going somewhere.”

Astute observation. Lena sighs, “Lex isn’t just a family friend, Angel. He’s my brother, half-brother really, but he is asking me to come back with him to Metropolis.”

She hears a small gasp, but Angel says nothing, merely taking Lena’s hand in hers again. They turn to each other and she gives Angel a half-smile, hoping to reassure her friend. “But like you said, we’ll always be friends, right?”

Angel nods, returning Lena’s half-smile, with something much more hopeful and determined. “Of course. So, you’re going then? You’ve decided?”

“Yes, I think so. I want to try.”

When Lex had taken her by the sea, plopped her down on the quilt he borrowed from the inn and set down the chess set they bought at the local toy store, Lena knew she at least wanted to know more about her older brother. 

One of the first things she learned about him was he wasn’t nearly as good at chess as their father had been. She’d beat him with a ruthless efficiency; she had something to prove. 

However, as he tipped over his king in surrender, Lex had only laughed, something happy that resonated in Lena’s chest. She was happy that she had somehow made him happy.

“Lena, you’re aces.” 

She had quirked her head in confusion and Lex laughed, explaining, “It means you’re the best, number one.”

A bright grin spread across her face in response. They finish setting up another game before Lex starts again, “You know, Ace.” Lena flushes with pride at the nickname. “Dad wrote in his will that I should come meet you.”

“Really?”

Lex nods slightly, continuing, “He had written that he wanted you to come to Metropolis. And I’m here visiting, because I wanted to know - would you like to come with me? Back to America?”

The shock washed over her that her fingers missed her chess piece entirely, knocking over several others in the process. “What?” 

“Dad had planned to come back, I think. He wanted you to have the best education possible. He always knew you were bright.”

Lex helps her right her pieces into their original squares, waiting patiently for a response. “I’d leave Mum? Would I be able to come back?” Her voice comes out shakier than she’d hope. 

At the sound of her fear, Lex moves himself closer and wraps his arms around her petite shoulders. “Lena,” he whispers into her hair, “You could always come back here. This is your home and your mom is your family. I’m just asking if you’d also let me join.”

On the walk home Lex had explained the possible options she had - start out with a trial year, university classes in Metropolis provided she passes some prerequisite exams, with a spot at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology waiting for her. Or wherever your heart desires, Lex adds.

During the dinner, her future had been the main thing she was mulling over in her head. It was really nice to finally voice her desire to go with Lex to someone.

“Then Lena, you should do it. I’ll be rooting for you, and you better come back and visit!” Angel says, embracing Lena tightly. She lets go of Lena and gives her a playful nudge, “I expect full reports during summer.”

Lena smiles back, grateful for her best friend. “Absolutely.” 

\--

The arrangements are swift and everything feels something like a whirlwind. Lionel passes away on a sunny Monday in July, and Lex’s visit brings him to their seaside town two weeks later. 

“I’ve asked for a couple more days away so we can have everything arranged and you can fly back with me.” Lex tells them over tea the next morning. “Fortunately, the time difference plays to our advantage.” he says with a grin.

And Lex’s assistant, or whoever, is scarily efficient, because in two days, all of her documentation has been expedited and prepared, her class schedule set up for the semester to start in three weeks. 

Meanwhile, her last week in Ireland is spent on a rotation of neighbors’ homes - a quick parade of all of the gadgets and electronics she’d ever fixed, trinkets passed along to remind Lena of home.

For the last time she will see her best friend, Angel leaves her with a parting kiss on the cheek and tight embrace that causes Lena’s stomach to churn with nervous energy and her cheek to burn even after Angel closes the door and Lena’s walked home. 

Her last day, however, is reserved for her mother. Most of her things, with her mother’s and Lex’s help, have been packed and squared away, leaving the apartment bare in comparison. 

However, Lena is steadfast when they ask her if they should pack her father’s chess board. She shakes her head firmly. “I only use that set here.” 

Lex merely shrugs, but her mother’s stormy gray eyes meet hers with something that looks a lot like understanding. Moving onto her books, Lex begins emptying the bookshelf while her mother bends down to give her a soft kiss on the cheek.

She feels herself get warm, with affection, never embarrassment, as her mother walks away to help Lex. She stares at them, it’d only ever been her and her mother, but now here was Lex. 

When she’d expressed her desire to go with Metropolis, Lena’s mother had merely clasped their hands tightly together, smiled, and said, “I know.” 

There was no resistance like Lena had feared, but neither was it a resigned acceptance like she had accepted. Her mother looked at her with all the pride and warmth that she always received unconditionally.

For their last night together for the next few months, her mother suggests taking a walk on the beach. “Bundle up, love. It’s summer, but it’s still chilly.” she advises, pulling a light jacket over Lena’s arms.

Lena has always known better (she grew up here after all) but decides to say nothing, taking a moment to bask in the motherly concern that will soon be thousands of kilometers away. 

They’d had a final stroll to wave goodbye to the O’Keefes and have breakfast at the bakery,  their afternoon chess game with their tea, and a hearty dinner that Lena was sure to miss when she begins to live with Lex.

They settle on a washed up log, Lena snuggling closer to her mother. The waves crash, the spray misting over them, the sound resonating in the silence. It’d been these nights that would put Lena to sleep when she was younger, comforted by the sounds of the ocean.

“Have you been to Metropolis before, Mum?” Lena asks quietly. 

Her mother hums, loose fingers running through her straight brown locks. “Not yet, but I’ll come to visit soon, isn’t it?”

“Dad never took you?”

“No, and to be quite honest, chicken, I never had an interest in going. When we met, I’d lived in London, and for me, London might as well have been the center of the universe.” 

It was a vague thought, the life her mother led before moving back to Ireland. “Why did you move back home if you had loved London so much?” 

“I wanted you to have what I had growin’ up, love. A neighborhood of family, the security that comes with it, and most of all the love. You can’t forget that, darling. You come from love, were raised in it, and it’s your responsibility to share in it with others.”

Her mother’s fingers continue to gently weave through her hair, lightly scratching her scalp, in a rhythm that Lena can feel is putting her into sleep. But it’s the last thing she wants. She wants to remember this, all of it, her mother’s voice, the stories.

She yawns, “Is this why you told Lex that we’d look after each other?” 

Maeve stares down at her daughter, Lena’s eyes drooping, her head beginning to lull onto Maeve’s shoulder. “Yes, love. That’s exactly why. Now, sleep.” her mother whispers.

Finally, Lena’s mind begins to drift to the sound of a soft-hummed lullaby accompanied by crashing waves.

\--

When she arrives in Metropolis, all she can see are the towering skyscrapers, but the largest one of all is the LuthorCorp Headquarters. 

“That’s Dad’s legacy, besides us, of course.” Lex tells her with a wink. 

Lex’s apartment, conveniently, is within walking distance of LuthorCorp. Set in the penthouse level of the condominiums, Lena can see the vast expanse of Metropolis in front of her in every direction. 

Her mother warned her that this was something she’d need to expect, living in a large city. “It just goes on forever, darling. You’ll love it.” 

Her room is away from the floor to ceiling windows, down a short hallway. It has its own bathroom attached, a room filled to the brim with marble and reflective surfaces. While Lena carried on most of her possessions, her mother had organized a special box to be sent ahead and unpacked right away.

A small gasp escapes her when she steps inside. To Lena’s surprise, her new room is similar to her old one in a comforting way. Her spare sheets stretched across the bed, her childhood books put away on the shelf, and her last unfinished project lays across the desk next to her tools.

The finishing touches, Lena sees photographs of her and her mother framed on the nightstand and hung on the wall. Lex smiles down at her, nudging her forward. 

“Your mom also wanted you to have this.” He hands her an envelope from his coat. 

She gently pulls the card out; it’s of a simple design, but a photo on its cover that she certainly recognizes from their hometown. 

_ Love, you are my little wonder, and it’s about time the rest of the world got to witness such a marvel. _

Lena tucks the card away and holds it close to her chest. 

Lex pulls her into a hug, feeling Lena’s hands wrap around his waist tightly. “I know you miss her, Ace, but you’ll have a great time here. I promise.”

And Lex tries to keep to his promise in spades. Despite the discouraging advice from his board, Lex brings Lena into LuthorCorp every day leading up to her first day of classes. 

“Ms. Luthor,” a man greets her, dressed in a dark suit, his hair neatly combed. He gives her a slight bow, a sign of deference, she determines, when Lex and she walk outside that Monday. 

“Lena, this is Marvin. He’ll be your attendant, taking you to and from classes, but also around if you ever need anything.” 

Marvin is probably the same age as Lex, but looks infinitely more somber than Lex on a bad day. “It’s wonderful meeting you, Marvin.”

Marvin’s lip quirk into a small smile, shaking Lena’s extended hand. “It’s a pleasure.”

Despite his serious facade, Lena finds that Marvin is good company. He watches Lena with interest as opposed to passivity when Lex gives her full reign of one of the smaller unused labs in R&D. 

“What are you building now, Ms. Luthor?”

Lena turns away from the circuit board. “Lex told me that there’s a battling robot competition at the university and I wanted to get a head start. I’ve never built a robot before.”

\--

Lois Lane stands to shake Lex’s hand. “Thank you again for the interview on such short notice, Lex. It looks like LuthorCorp is doing some really big things.”

“We’re only as good as our brightest engineer.” Lex says, his smile belying some sort of secret. 

Lois raises an eyebrow. “And you only hire the best.” 

“You could say that.”

Lois narrows her eyes at him, thanking him one more time. They had some rapport (it was why Perry White had sent her) from previous articles about LuthorCorp, but she still hadn’t figured him out quite yet. 

For now, it made the most sense to retreat and do more research about Lex’s more recent hires. 

Lois strides out of the office, waiting for the elevator. However, when the elevator arrives and Lois moves to enter, a girl walks out, slightly startled that there would be someone on the other side of the door.

She makes brief eye contact with Lois, but turns her head downwards and shuffling quickly into Lex’s office without paying any mind to his secretary. 

Out of the corner of Lois’s eyes, she sees the elevator shut, but she remains still, trying to recall all of the details about the girl. Tall enough to be on the older spectrum of children, but still with a baby face that has Lois set on the girl being around the ages of 10 to 12. 

She reminded her a lot of Lucy. 

Her curiosity getting the best of her, Lois walks over to Agatha, Lex’s secretary. “Hey, Agatha, who was that?” 

A brief look of panic goes across Agatha’s face, who looks unprepared for the question. “Who?” Agatha replies, unsurely.

“That girl who walked into Lex’s office.” 

Agatha’s eyes scan the room, a habit Lois knows that people have when they’re looking for an out. However, the out is granted when Lex exits his office, the girl in tow. He’s smiling something more sincere than Lois has seen in a while.

“Marvin is waiting with the car,” she hears the girl say, before she stops, seeing Lois. 

Lois sees Lex’s subtle wink, but notices even more the slightly protective stance he takes, stepping in front of the girl. “Well, how wonderful that you’re still here, Ms. Lane! You can meet the newest addition to the LuthorCorp family!” he says with a grin. 

“All of this is off the record.” Lex adds, more seriously. Lois rolls her eyes, having expected that. “This is Lena.”

“Lena…?” she extends, probing. 

“Luthor,” the girl answers, meeting Lois’s stare, with something determined. Lex looks at her fondly. “I’m Lex’s sister.”

Lois bites back the  _ since when _ that’s creeping up her throat, having known about Lex since they were teenagers and Lois was only a school reporter in Smallville and Lex had used the Kansas town as an escape.

Lex nods in confirmation when he sees Lois’s disbelief. “Lena’s here to attend university classes at MU, and R&D is more a less a playground.” he jokes.

“You can’t be serious.  _ You’re _ looking after a what? Ten-year-old?” 

“I’m twelve!” 

Lois brings a hand to her forehead, trying to wrap her mind around this. Clark literally just brought Kara, his cousin, to the Danvers only a month ago, and here was Lex adopting some girl?

“Are you equipped to raise a  _ twelve-year-old _ ?” 

Lex leans over his tall frame to Lena, whispering. Whatever he’s instructed doesn’t make Lena pleased as she glares at Lois. “It was a pleasure meeting you, Ms. Lane.” 

She stalks back into the office, her small footsteps weighing heavy with defiance. Yep, Lois thought, Lena Luthor definitely reminds of Lucy. 

When the door closes, Lex merely shrugs. “She’s a kid. Sorry if she was a little rude.”

“I don’t think that’s the issue here, Lex.” 

There’s a heavy tension that weighs on them now that Lena is absent. However, instead of replying to Lois, he turns to Agatha, cowering at her desk who’s trying to avoid watching, dismissing her. “Agatha, you’re free to leave for the day. Thank you for your hard work.” he tells her with a charming smile as if they weren’t just about to argue.

“Thank you, Mr. Luthor.” Agatha says, relieved, packing her belongings with a panicked swiftness and heading into the elevator once it arrives.

“She’s a child. Don’t you think it’s irresponsible to be raising a child while running a company that’s just getting back on its feet? And you’re sending her to college?”

He sighs deeply, leaning back against Agatha’s desk. “I’m not so disillusioned, Ms. Lane, to think I’m so  _ equipped _ , as you said. She has family available for whatever emergencies or instances I find that I’m lacking. She’s not alone.

“She’s merely here to find a little more about herself, who she is, and go to school. She’s  _ fucking brilliant _ , mind you.” Lex calls for the elevator, gesturing when the door opens.

Lois knows the end to a conversation when she sees it, and during the elevator ride down, she can only think of the parallels between Clark and Lex. 

He may not have said anything specific about Lena’s parentage, but Lois was fully aware of Lionel Luthor’s indiscretions. She just had no idea that there was a child borne out of any of them. 

Yet, a sudden relative appears on both of their doorsteps, and it’s Superman that chooses not to take her in. 

When Lois returns to her apartment, she finds Clark setting out tonight’s takeout. Clark had told her about Kara, of course, but kept the story brief. 

“My cousin landed in a pod outside of Midvale. I took her to that couple, the Danvers, that we’d worked with on the martians. They seem like a good fit and I think she’ll be happy there.” he’d told her over dinner one night.

Lois had been expecting a lot more - relief that he wasn’t the last of his kind, the excitement that he had family, or at least fear of discovery - and instead she saw apathy. 

As they’re eating, Lois speaks up, “Did you know that Lex Luthor has a younger sister?” The disbelief she sees behind Clark’s glasses speaks for itself. 

“I’m pretty sure she’s Lionel Luthor’s lovechild. But Lex has decided to take her in, apparently. I met her today. She had an Irish accent.”

She watches as Clark swallows slowly. “Well, that’s, um, good for him. A little surprising, sure."

“She’s twelve. Almost the same age as Kara.”

Clark’s free hand tenses into a fist and Lois knows she’s finally hit home. “Lois,” he warns. “I’ve already made my decision.”

She sets her food down, shaking her head vehemently. “Clark, can’t you at least reconsider it? That girl, she needed--”

“A family, and that’s not something I can give her right now.” he says firmly. “The Danvers family can do that.”

“You’re the only one she has, Clark. The last member of her family. The last of Krypton--”

“I’m here in Metropolis between two full-time jobs and there’s us, and there isn’t room for a thirteen-year-old girl in an apartment that’s barely meant for one.”

For someone who doesn’t need a lot of oxygen to breathe, Clark takes heavy breaths at the end, and Lois puts a placating hand on his arm. “Okay.” 

“Just promise me that you’ll try and visit often? She really needs you, Clark,” she says to him seriously.

Clark nods, “Alright.”

**Author's Note:**

> Find me on tumblr: @tiabi-writes


End file.
